We at Men Can Stop Rape believe that stereotypical masculinity (or any other term you might choose: traditional masculinity, hypermasculinity, hegemonic masculinity, dominant masculinity) is still too much the air that we breathe. It’s something we often take in automatically, unaware. As one of the significant sources of violence against women across the globe, as well as other forms of violence, and as an unconscious source of conflict for many men, stereotypical masculinity causes great harm when it goes unrecognized. We all benefit from consciously developing healthier, non-violent masculinities. The Masculinity Conversations is intended to raise our critical consciousness by talking about masculinity. Let’s get the conversation started.

Patrick McGann, MCSR’s Director of Strategy and Planning oversees the Men Can Stop Rape Masculinity Conversations. If you would like to take part, send him an
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This conversation is with Rachel Griffin, Ph.D., who is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Speech Communication at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. As a critical intercultural scholar, her research interests span critical race theory, Black feminist thought, popular culture, gender violence, and critical communication pedagogy. Her most recent publications include a chapter entitled "Placing My Brown Body on the Line: Painful Moments and Powerful Praxis"; an article in the Journal of Black Studies entitled “The Disgrace of Commodification and Shameful Convenience: A Critical Race Critique of the National Basketball Association”; and a co-authored chapter entitled “’Love the Way You Lie’ and the Normalization of Violence against Women.” Rachel is a frequent guest on college campuses and at conferences to deliver keynotes on gender violence that speak to power, privilege, and intersectionality. She has also been featured in and interviewed by Bitch Magazine Radio, Ms. Magazine’s Blog, Feministing, and Voice Male Magazine. The conversation with Rachel is divided into two parts. Part 1 focuses primarily on her research concerning Black masculinity and the NBA. Part 2 continues the conversation about race and masculinity and delves into the figure of the Black nerd.